The University Record, January 9, 1996
REGENTS’ ROUNDUP
Note: Regents’ Roundup appears as a semi-regular feature in The Record. See bottom of this page for more information.
Editor’s Note: The Regents took the following actions at their December meeting.
South Ferry Field to get Sports Service Building
At their December meeting the Regents approved the proposed sports service building at South Ferry Field.
“The two South Ferry Field playing fields (women’s soccer and lacrosse) are heavily used for women’s varsity sports,” said Executive Vice President Farris W. Womack.
“In the initial site planning for these fields,” Womack explained, “a site was provided (south end) for a future sports service building (approximately 7,500 square feet) that would provide locker rooms, restrooms, equipment storage, two offices and conference space. A small two-story press box of approximately 600 square feet would also be constructed between the two fields.”
The project is estimated to cost $1.7 million with funding provided from proceeds from the Pigskin Classic, gifts and Athletic Department accounts.
East University will
become ‘pedestrianway’
A proposed pedestrianway along the southern section of East University Avenue was approved by the Regents at their December meeting.
“In 1968 the City of Ann Arbor vacated East University between North University and South University to the U-M with the understanding that this former city street would be converted to a landscaped pedestrianway,” explained Executive Vice President Farris W. Womack. “This would accommodate the heavy volumes of pedestrian traffic present in this area at class change periods and throughout the day.”
The University began to implement the pedestrianway in the late 1970s along with a variety of construction projects in the area that are nearing completion.
“By spring 1996,” Womack said, “we should be ready to complete a majority of the landscaped pedestrianway. Only the very south end of East University will need to be delayed until the School of Social Work construction project is completed in 1997. The time is now appropriate to move forward with the East University walkway.”
The project is estimated to cost $1.6 million.
Regents OK
renovation projects
The Regents approved these renovation projects at their December meeting:
Overhead street signs (airport type signs) to help direct Medical Center patients and visitors to their destinations. Executive Vice President Farris W. Womack noted that “the preliminary design analysis indicates the need for signs at key entrances in four locations: the Cancer and Geriatrics Centers, Emergency, the Main Entrance and Visitor Parking. This approach is being recommended because it is believed to be essential to meeting the wayfinding needs of our patients and visitors.” The project is estimated to cost $400,000.
The Department of Ophthalmology is proposing to renovate an area on the third level of the Kellogg Eye Center for contemporary biomedical research labs and support functions. The project’s estimated cost is $875,000.
“Renovation of approximately 1,250 square feet in the North University Building for the Herbarium to accommodate a research laboratory at an estmated cost of $240,000.”
Commons will be renamed in honor of Pierpont
The renaming of the North Campus Commons in honor of Wilbur K. Pierpont was approved by the Regents at their December meeting.
Pierpont, who joined the School of Business Administration faculty following World War II, was controller of the University in 1947-50. In 1951 he was named vice president and chief financial officer, a position which he held for 26 years until returning to the Business School in 1977 as professor of accounting.
“The North Campus Commons was one of the original buildings on the North Campus and was built during Dr. Pierpont’s tenure as vice president,” Executive Vice President Farris W. Womack said. “It was a building that had particular significance to him.”
